TABLE OF CONTENTS
Bad Example
“Please create a second page called bad or poorly put together prompt checklist and it’s going to have five questions each of them are yes no and a choices and they’ll have two fields after each one first one if why is this bad the second field is corrective actions taken now each of the questions includes excessive rambling and going on and on without getting to the point and the opposite of concise language second lack of structure and formatting third is ambiguous instructions fourth inconsistent naming and finally redundancy.”
Why is it Bad
The example prompt is bad because it’s too conversational and lacks structure. It’s a jumble of instructions, making it difficult for the AI to understand the user’s intent clearly and accurately. Here are the key issues:
- Excessive and Rambling Language
The prompt uses a “stream of consciousness” style, similar to how someone might speak. Words like “it’s going to have” and “and finally” add unnecessary noise and make the core instructions hard to parse.
Lack of Structure and Formatting
There are no clear delineations between the different parts of the request. The five questions are all run together in a single paragraph, making it easy for the AI to misinterpret the individual items.
Ambiguous Instructions
The phrase “a choices” and “if why is this bad” are unclear. Does “a choices” mean a single choice field? Does “if why is this bad” mean the field should only appear under a specific condition?
Inconsistent Naming
The prompt refers to “bad or poorly put together prompt checklist” and “excessive rambling and going on and on without getting to the point and the opposite of concise language,” which are long and could lead to inconsistent field names in the generated form.
Redundancy
The prompt repeats “each of them are yes no and a choices” which is an inefficient way to convey the information.
How to Improve
A good prompt is clear, concise, and structured. It uses a hierarchical approach to define the form’s layout and content, allowing the AI to generate a more accurate and usable form.
Here’s an improved version of the prompt, broken down into key components:
| Step | Example |
Define the Goal Start by stating the page’s name. | “Create a single page titled ‘Bad Prompt Checklist’.” |
Specify the Structure Clearly outline the elements to be created. Use lists or a structured format to make the items easy to read. | “Add a section with five question items. For each item, include the following fields:” |
Provide Item Details List each question item clearly. Use a consistent format to specify the associated fields and their types. | “For each of the five question items below, include two fields: Field 1 (Conditional): ‘Is this bad?’ (Yes/No choice field, defaults to ‘Yes’) Field 2 (Text): ‘Corrective Actions’ (Text input, appears if ‘Corrective Action Taken’ is ‘Yes’)” |
List the Question Items Present the list in a clean, bulleted format. This makes it easy for the AI to understand each distinct item. | “The five question items are: ‘Excessive and Rambling Language?’, ‘Lack of Structure and Formatting?’, ‘Ambiguous Instructions?’, ‘Inconsistent Naming?’, ‘Redundancy?’ |
By using this structured approach, the AI is guided step-by-step, ensuring a more accurate and usable form is generated.
Good Example
| Prompt | Outcome |
| Create a single page titled ‘Bad Prompt Checklist’ | The form has been updated to a single page titled ‘Bad Prompt Checklist’. The main title, title bar, and the page label have all been changed to ‘Bad Prompt Checklist’. All previous sample fields within the page have been removed. |
Add a section with five question items. For each item, include the following fields: Field 1 (Conditional): ‘Is this bad?’ (Yes/No choice field, defaults to ‘Yes’) Field 2 (Text): ‘Corrective Actions’ (Text input, appears if ‘Corrective Action Taken’ is ‘Yes’) | Added five question items to the ‘Bad Prompt Checklist’ page. Each item includes a ‘Is this bad?’ (Yes/No choice) field defaulting to ‘Yes’, and a ‘Corrective Actions’ (text input) field that only appears if ‘Is this bad?’ is ‘Yes’. |
The five question items are: ‘Excessive and Rambling Language?’, ‘Lack of Structure and Formatting?’, ‘Ambiguous Instructions?’, ‘Inconsistent Naming?’, ‘Redundancy?’ | The five question items on the ‘Bad Prompt Checklist’ page have been updated with the following labels: ‘Excessive and Rambling Language?’, ‘Lack of Structure and Formatting?’, ‘Ambiguous Instructions?’, ‘Inconsistent Naming?’, and ‘Redundancy?’. |